No Money Real Estate Investing - Part Two
People often ask me how they should obtain the money for their real estate investments and are sometimes not happy with my response. That's because many are hoping to find easy solutions that don't require much work on their part and are therefore disappointed with my advice.
So when people ask me:
- "Should I find other investors to partner with if I have no money of my own? This seems like a daunting task and I'm not sure how to go about it. But, I really want to get started investing in real estate as I've recently seen several nice investment properties."
- "Would you suggest I use owner financing, home equity line or credit cards for a down payment on a new investment property? And if so, what is the time line to see a positive return on investment to reimburse funds?"
- "How can I do deals like Robert Allen - no money down, cash back on closing?"
I usually start by telling people to begin by tracking their own expenses. Make sure you spend less than you make. And, make sure you are doing that each and every month. Then, use the excess to pay down your debt or save for your real estate investments.
The one piece of advice I give universally is that you should NOT use your credit card to finance your real estate investment - EVER. No matter what the end game is, there is far too much risk involved with that.
What if something goes wrong with your investment and you end up paying 18% interest on that $5,000, $10,000 or $20,000 you borrowed from your credit card for years to come? Do you want me to do the math on that?
Some people turn to the equity in their homes. This can be good or bad depending on your situation. For example, if you're about ready to retire or are over 65, then this could be a bad idea. On the other hand, if your home has about $200,000 worth of equity and you're younger than 50, it could be an excellent choice- as long as you think you can handle the extra payments if something were to go wrong with your investment.
A 'good deal' is defined by one where the rental income from the investment property can pay for the monthly expenses on the property as well as the monthly payment increase that a $50,000 home equity loan will cost you. If it does, then a loan on your home equity is a great way to get the money for a real estate investment property.
As for owner financing (aka vendor take back financing)- I love using owner financing. We've used it several times when we don't quite have enough for 25% down and the bank won't lend us any more than 75% on the property. Vendors are often happy to oblige with a loan for the difference. It's secured against the property, it gives them a nice guaranteed rate of return each month, and it's cash in their pocket each month. If your property will cover these extra payments and the vendor is willing to do it, then this is your best option. BUT - if you have no down payment at all and can only get 75% financing from a bank, you shouldn't use this method to finance the rest.
We've bought properties for no money down. We've learned the hard way that no money down does not mean it won't cost you!
Don't confuse using home equity or owner financing with no money down real estate investing. They are nowhere near the same thing.
What makes no money down so risky? Well, for starters, you would have to borrow 100% of the value of the property. That means if property values drop, even by as little as 5%, you'll owe more money than it's worth. And you probably won't be able to afford it, which will result in foreclosure. This sort of thing has been happening frequently in North America lately.
It is very hard to find a property that will make you money if you've purchased it using 100% financing. On top of the purchase price of the house, you'll also need to come up with 2-3% of the purchase price to pay for a lawyer, property inspector, taxes and things like that.
No money down deals are not only MUCH riskier because you have no equity in the property, they are also pretty hard to find because they rarely cashflow. If you have no money for a down payment on your real estate investment, then, in the following order, this is what I suggest:
1. Start acting like the master of your money. Get out of debt as soon as possible and start to save. You may not be able to save a significant amount at first, but a potential partner will look on you more favorably if you show that you are able to manage your own money.
2. Look to your home. If you own a home and have some years left before you were planning on retiring and have a reasonable amount of equity in your home (over 25%), consider using a portion of the equity in your home to get started with investing in another property.
3. If you rent or don't have any home equity, then you need to do some research to find a great property that could be purchased with as little as 10% down. In this case, a great property is defined as one where the rent will pay for the expenses of the property. Once you find it, you need to get a partner with money to invest and no time to do research of his own. This requires you to sell yourself as well as the property.
Over the years, we've bought many properties with very little of our own money. We've tried the no money down deals and never had one work out successfully. However, we have had success when working with partners when we did all of the work involved with finding, purchasing and overseeing the property. Since the partner provided the down payment, it allowed us to get a better house in a better location for which we could charge higher rent than if we had bought a lesser house in a lesser neighborhood. It also meant that we had equity in the property from the very beginning. The deal with the partner is outlined prior to purchase- even though the partner provides the down payment, we jointly own the property (we each own 50%). If repairs to the property are required, any costs that can't be covered by the rental income are paid for 50-50 by us and the partner.
Because we are 50-50 partners, we split the profits of the sale evenly. By profits, I mean whatever is left after the partner gets his down payment back. By having a partner, you're gaining opportunities you've never could have had on your own while reducing your risk. It's a great deal. - 23229
So when people ask me:
- "Should I find other investors to partner with if I have no money of my own? This seems like a daunting task and I'm not sure how to go about it. But, I really want to get started investing in real estate as I've recently seen several nice investment properties."
- "Would you suggest I use owner financing, home equity line or credit cards for a down payment on a new investment property? And if so, what is the time line to see a positive return on investment to reimburse funds?"
- "How can I do deals like Robert Allen - no money down, cash back on closing?"
I usually start by telling people to begin by tracking their own expenses. Make sure you spend less than you make. And, make sure you are doing that each and every month. Then, use the excess to pay down your debt or save for your real estate investments.
The one piece of advice I give universally is that you should NOT use your credit card to finance your real estate investment - EVER. No matter what the end game is, there is far too much risk involved with that.
What if something goes wrong with your investment and you end up paying 18% interest on that $5,000, $10,000 or $20,000 you borrowed from your credit card for years to come? Do you want me to do the math on that?
Some people turn to the equity in their homes. This can be good or bad depending on your situation. For example, if you're about ready to retire or are over 65, then this could be a bad idea. On the other hand, if your home has about $200,000 worth of equity and you're younger than 50, it could be an excellent choice- as long as you think you can handle the extra payments if something were to go wrong with your investment.
A 'good deal' is defined by one where the rental income from the investment property can pay for the monthly expenses on the property as well as the monthly payment increase that a $50,000 home equity loan will cost you. If it does, then a loan on your home equity is a great way to get the money for a real estate investment property.
As for owner financing (aka vendor take back financing)- I love using owner financing. We've used it several times when we don't quite have enough for 25% down and the bank won't lend us any more than 75% on the property. Vendors are often happy to oblige with a loan for the difference. It's secured against the property, it gives them a nice guaranteed rate of return each month, and it's cash in their pocket each month. If your property will cover these extra payments and the vendor is willing to do it, then this is your best option. BUT - if you have no down payment at all and can only get 75% financing from a bank, you shouldn't use this method to finance the rest.
We've bought properties for no money down. We've learned the hard way that no money down does not mean it won't cost you!
Don't confuse using home equity or owner financing with no money down real estate investing. They are nowhere near the same thing.
What makes no money down so risky? Well, for starters, you would have to borrow 100% of the value of the property. That means if property values drop, even by as little as 5%, you'll owe more money than it's worth. And you probably won't be able to afford it, which will result in foreclosure. This sort of thing has been happening frequently in North America lately.
It is very hard to find a property that will make you money if you've purchased it using 100% financing. On top of the purchase price of the house, you'll also need to come up with 2-3% of the purchase price to pay for a lawyer, property inspector, taxes and things like that.
No money down deals are not only MUCH riskier because you have no equity in the property, they are also pretty hard to find because they rarely cashflow. If you have no money for a down payment on your real estate investment, then, in the following order, this is what I suggest:
1. Start acting like the master of your money. Get out of debt as soon as possible and start to save. You may not be able to save a significant amount at first, but a potential partner will look on you more favorably if you show that you are able to manage your own money.
2. Look to your home. If you own a home and have some years left before you were planning on retiring and have a reasonable amount of equity in your home (over 25%), consider using a portion of the equity in your home to get started with investing in another property.
3. If you rent or don't have any home equity, then you need to do some research to find a great property that could be purchased with as little as 10% down. In this case, a great property is defined as one where the rent will pay for the expenses of the property. Once you find it, you need to get a partner with money to invest and no time to do research of his own. This requires you to sell yourself as well as the property.
Over the years, we've bought many properties with very little of our own money. We've tried the no money down deals and never had one work out successfully. However, we have had success when working with partners when we did all of the work involved with finding, purchasing and overseeing the property. Since the partner provided the down payment, it allowed us to get a better house in a better location for which we could charge higher rent than if we had bought a lesser house in a lesser neighborhood. It also meant that we had equity in the property from the very beginning. The deal with the partner is outlined prior to purchase- even though the partner provides the down payment, we jointly own the property (we each own 50%). If repairs to the property are required, any costs that can't be covered by the rental income are paid for 50-50 by us and the partner.
Because we are 50-50 partners, we split the profits of the sale evenly. By profits, I mean whatever is left after the partner gets his down payment back. By having a partner, you're gaining opportunities you've never could have had on your own while reducing your risk. It's a great deal. - 23229
About the Author:
Learn How to Retire with rental property with Daves free rental property Investing Starter Tips Guide. Learn how to find money for rental property deals, create financial freedom, positive cash flow and massive wealth with tips like: How to find quality rental properties, finding and keeping great tenants, and easy ways to make more money with rental property.

